Bet paid off in MLHS's Olmstead's love of music

MEDICAL LAKE — There might not be much that Medical Lake music student Riley Olmstead can one-up her teacher, Craig Johnson, on, except, perhaps an ancient middle memory.

The senior percussionist, Olmstead was recently accepted into the first-ever All State Percussion Ensemble, vividly recalled how she was persuaded to take of a wide array on instruments that reside under that banner of making music by hitting things.

When she joined band in middle school Olmstead didn’t actually play percussion. But she learned fast.

“Before one of the concerts, we didn’t have any metal percussionist and Mr....